Circle of Death
by Imaginarivalued
Summary: In which in the end, Zuko finds himself to be the last one breathing. Drabble series.
1. Aang

The Avatar was dying.

There was no other way to put it.

Avatar Aang was young and he was pale and his breath was frail and shallow and he was _dying_.

The boy knew Death's ghastly caress was to reach him, so he chose the most fitting place to receive its touch.

Those closest to him in life were gathered by his bedside in the dimly lit sanctum of the Southern Air Temple, awaiting the inevitable whether they were prepared or not.

Most of them were probably weeping, Zuko speculated in the—brief—moment he spared them a thought in his clouded mind, pleading the Avatar not to leave, rehashing old words of love and bonds because they were the purest, truest lyrics of the Song of Life.

Zuko paid no attention to any of that which was displayed before him—not that he didn't care, he _cared_—he just couldn't see or remember any of it because of the VOICES in his head screaming and racing like angry chi streams seeking balance. It was as if he absorbed a bolt of cold-blooded fire and had no idea of where to redirect it because there was no physical manifestation of who to BLAME.

Everyone present had a reason, a private moment with the dying boy that no one was to invade, and that included him for he was a FRIEND. So he was at the drawing board in his mind, writing his farewells and tearing them down because nothing made SENSE and he could only shriek at himself for refusing to delude reality and accepted what was before him.

_AANG IS GOING TO DIE._

His friend was to leave the mortal coil and he had no idea what to say. Nothing seemed significant enough. He wanted—needed—to say something, he didn't know for what reason beyond closure. Not for the Avatar, but for himself, because he was the one who would still be able to breathe.

Time gave him no mercy as Aang's dulling grey eyes met his, and he knew his final moments in the boy's life arrived.

So he said the only thing that made sense to him.

"See you later."

He imagined that the boy smiled.

The candlelight flickered… Once…

…Twice…

Dark.


	2. Katara

It was during a chaotic blizzard in the South Pole and with miniscule surprise did Zuko find himself beside a failing Katara.

_One out of the circle and into the middle._

Her body was getting colder, and no amount of firebending ingenuity could reverse it. Sokka was holding her hand, tears cascading painfully from his spirit, and saying something that was only a silent procession to his frosted ears.

He couldn't recall how long it had been since the first time he felt this sensation.

_How long—seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, years—How long?_

He supposed it didn't matter, he would remember soon enough.

He needed to concentrate. She was talking.

"Do you think _he's_ out there somewhere, Sokka? He has to be. It's better this way. I don't want to meet the new one. It won't be _him_," she murmured, the first bit of heat he saw in her.

"I refuse to see it. It's not him. It's a lie. But don't worry. I'll find him. He's out there somewhere, and I'll be the one to find him. I was the one who did. I'm the only one who can. The world can take their lie and live happily ever after. I don't care, because I'll find the real him…"

He didn't know why he was nodding to her every word.

Doesn't matter. He'll remember soon enough.

She breathed out winter and her skin became snow.

Her glazed ocean eyes met his.

"I'll find him………won't I?"

"You will," he lied, and placed his hand on hers.

"Tell him I said _'hello'_," he requested truthfully.

She beamed _warmly_. "_Don't worry, I will………I promise you._"

Her eyes closed.

They say one should never fall asleep during a blizzard in the South Pole.

The sun rose.

She never woke up.

…_eternal frozen smile_.


	3. Sokka

The sky of the North Pole was alit by a mist of blood that drowned the sun as the small piece of tundra beneath them was stained red beside the wreckage of the ship that lay broken on the shoreline to be palmed by the auburn tides.

Or was it the South Pole? Had he never left? Which _end_ of the world was he?

Doesn't matter.

_Another out of the circle and bled into the center._

"Hey," Sokka chuckled hoarsely, "you're late, Flaming Lord."

The despicable ringing in his ears was back from time's coffin and his teeth grated against each other.

The man chortled bloodily. "_Heheh_, it seems you've caught me in a 'sword-ed' situation."

"Damn you…" Zuko cursed over his breath.

Sokka's head strung forward. "C'mon, don't make that face. It's not that bad. Recovery will just need a 'lung' time."

"Damn you, damn you, damn you, _damn you_…"

"Keep that attitude up, and you won't be the only one on 'edge'—"

"SHUT UP! You were supposed to wait! _You were supposed to wait_…"

The horrifying little grin followed his face to the side. "_Wait_…? Kughahaha……" Slowly, Sokka's torn, rigid hand pulled him down by his throat, "_I've waited long enough, I'm sick of it. Nobody waits anymore_."

Zuko felt his eyes clench unbearably as he looked into the liquid black vines that sprouted from Sokka's left eye.

Sokka snarled. "Don't cower away! Look at me!"

Ignoring the pain in his veins and wishing the grip on his neck wasn't weakening, Zuko returned his gaze to the dark bloom and the steely blue in the warrior's glare.

"Promise me……that you will not fall. Do you understand? I don't care how much or whose blood you have to shed. You will keep walking. You will put one foot in front of the other. You will walk and you will bleed and you will breathe. Vow to me. DO NOT FAIL."

Something boiled inside him and he clamped around the blood-graced man's neck in turn. Indignation erupted in him and he wanted to do nothing but scream _Hypocrite_ onto his face but it soon gave away to anger and absolute fury.

The red snow around them blew into crimson vapor and ascended into the skyward abyss.

"I swear upon my honor," Zuko declared evenly, "I swear upon the blood in my veins and this scar on my face. I WILL NOT FAIL."

They froze like statues, hand on each other's throat as they and the world bled.

Then ever so—painfully—slowly, Sokka simpered………_steel blue eyes to rusted copper_.

His grip fell limp.

"_Hey_……………!"

No response.

"……………………_damn you_."

…_moon bleeding tears_.


	4. Toph

It was pitch black.

His heart's breaths channeled through him like embalming acid, sustaining and yet burning him, and the loathsome ringing in his ears became whirlwind screeches as he picked up the putrid odor of something he couldn't remember.

Doesn't—never will—matter.

_One more out of the circle and fell into the abyss._

"Do you remember them?" Toph asked, her dust-light whisper sounding like armadillo-lion howls in the dark, "Che. Of course you do. You probably see them in your dreams every night."

Nightmares, he wanted to correct, but felt the dark was better off with just her voice.

"You're lucky, ya know that? I only remember them. They're not here anymore. All I have of them is their voices. And those get quieter after each passing day. You're lucky. You get to _see_ them."

He wanted to light the entire room in flames proportionate to his rage at that. All he had to see of them were their smiles. _Those haunting smiles_. Why did all of them smiled?

He turned his head away—a useless gesture in the dark—finding his knee in the dark and gripped it in his struggle to stop himself from screaming at the now coughing earthbender.

"I want them _here_," she hacked heatedly, "I want to hear them, touch them. I…I want to _feel_ them. I want to hear their heartbeats. _I want to see them_."

I'm here, he wanted to shout, I'm here and my heart is beating, why can't you stay?

He moved closer.

Why are all of you abandoning me?

Somehow, he felt her shiver in the dark.

"It's getting cold. I f-feel it. But I can't see _it_. I……_I'm scared_."

He spoke, in the all-encompassing darkness, for the first and last time. "We're all the same."

He marveled at how the silence could be so loud in the dark.

"Do……do you mind holding my hand?"

He did. He did very much.

But she was Toph. He never was one to deny her much of anything.

So he ignored the pain in his eyes and held her frost-pearl hand.

He heard her heart chuckle.

"_Are you crying?"_

He almost flinched when her other hand stroked the air before his face.

"_Can I see you?"_

The nauseous musk of blood on his neck that wasn't there rushed through his nose. But he let the darkness consume it and took her hand, slowly guiding it to his right cheek…………_and kissed it with his left eye._

Time became a lost memory.

Darkness and silence became one.

He touched her lips.

…_unseen smirking void._


	5. Suki

"Please, Suki! Hold on!" Zuko screamed as he cradled the Kyoshi warrior and backed into the cove just as hostile projectiles whistled wildly past.

"Suki!" he screamed again and patted her face desperately, "Suki! Can you hear me!? Stay with me here!!"

She turned sluggishly to him, her blood-smeared chestnut hair parted as he looked into her teal eyes and saw they were already beginning to drain.

"N-no…! NO!"

_One more still out of the circle and plummeted into the crimson-crater._

"I understand now. I understand why she was smiling."

"Suki! No! Don't say that! J-just hold on! Please!"

"She was smiling because she could look for him. She was finally granted the chance to search for what she wanted and not be caged in a fake kingdom."

"S-suki! P-please! I promised Sokka! I promised him!! Why won't the bleeding stop!?"

"He's not here. This world is a lie without him. What's the point of smiling if there isn't someone who smiles the same way to you?"

Another bolt of fire screeched across, followed by war-cries and deaths.

"Do you hear yourself!? Do you know what you're saying!? What about your son, Suki!?"

He realized with unbound horror that the woman was looking through him at a world of specters as her increasingly darkening eyes stared longingly at something beyond all reaches.

"_Please, please, Suki,_" he pleaded, tasting bile and blood in his throat, "_don't—don't—don't—_"

_Don't smile._

Her hand pushed past his face, seeking and grasping. "_I'm sorry. Did I take too long? I know how much you hated waiting. But it's okay. I'll be there soon. You won't have to wait much longer. I'll find you. Just wait a little bit more. I'll be there…"_

Her arm landed on his shoulder.

He shook her, out of desperate need to be lied to, but she only limply swayed to his beseeching arms and smiled as blood trickled down her lips.

The roar of the exploding world was drowned out by the bleeding howls in his ears as flames warbled out and from silent fields.

Her eyes never closed.

…_ghost fire gaze._


	6. Mai

_Second to last out of the circle and into the descending fire._

"Considering all the glamour it's been given, you'd think the whole '_watching the sunset setting'_ would be a little less bland and little more exciting."

From behind, he tenderly caressed the skin on her neck with his the tip of his nose and lips.

"I guess it's the wrong way to think about it. It's not the setting sun that's enjoyable, but the lingering colors before the dark. It's like watching the sky on fire, burning slowly until there's nothing left but cold shadows and empty silence. And so we're forced to seek warmth in the person closest to us."

His hand found hers and he wrapped both their arms around her waist gently.

"_Hmmm._ I suppose sunsets aren't too bad. Especially when watching it with someone you don't hate."

His eyebrows tremble slightly, his breaths a little deeper.

"It doesn't hurt, really. You just feel really tired, but you don't want to close your eyes, because you know you won't get the chance to wake up."

He burrowed his face deeper into her, inhaling airborne poison and ash.

"_Hmm_. It also seems to have an annoying quality of making people talk nonstop and embarrass themselves."

He interlaced his fingers with hers.

_"Huh-huh-hm-hmm__………"_

"Are you cold?"

"_Mmm…"_

He hugged her ever closer to him, as if trying to share all of his heat with her, and rested his face warmly against hers.

"………………………_just so you know…………I'll be waiting………………always……"_

He kissed her hand.

…_ba-dump…_

…_ba-dump…_

…_ba-dump…_

…_ba-dump…_

…_ba-dump…_

…_ba…dump…_

…_ba…dump…_

…_ba…dump…_

…_ba……dump…_

…_ba……dump…_

…_ba……dump…_

…_ba………dump…_

…_ba………dump…_

…_ba…………dump…_

…_ba…………dump…_

…_ba…………………dump…_

…_ba…………………dump…_

…_ba……………………………………………………dump…_

…_ba……………………………………………………………………………_

……………………………………………………………………………………

"………………………………………………"

…_Rising Full Circle._


	7. Iroh

_Last one out of the circle…_

It was ironic and fitting, Zuko thought, that his uncle would be the one to be by his side in the beginning and be the final one to leave.

He was kneeling by Iroh's bedside, watching the patterns and flickers of bitter crimson-gold light playing off the old man's peaceful face, inhaling and exhaling gently.

He had often derisively pictured a sleeping dragon in place of a loudly snoring Iroh. Now, in the enclosure of the mute dark and one vigilant flame, he watched a dragon dying.

The ringing sprouted in his ears.

It was time.

He was no longer disturbed by the fact he could not recall where or when he was. He's had a lot of practice.

"_Lu Ten?"_ Iroh called out deliriously, reaching skyward, _"Is that you?"_

Zuko bit his lip and intercepted the shaking hand with two firm grips. "I'm here."

Iroh smiled—they all smiled—warmly, eyes crinkled, brought his hand to rest on his chest, and patted it softly. _"Ah. There you are. You look thin. Have you been eating properly?"_

Zuko looked into the elder's molten-slate eyes through haze of shifting darkness and nodded.

Iroh patted his hand again. _"That's good. One must always take extra care in maintaining one's health."_

He nodded again, eyes clenched painfully shut.

"_I'm sorry I have to leave so soon. But I promise to be back shortly."_

He bit his lip harshly, on the brink of drawing blood.

"_Take care of your cousin Zuko while I'm gone. He's a good boy. One day, he'll grow up to be a great man."_

A chill ran through his spine as his breath was caught in his throat. Slowly, the shock ebbed away and he replied in the one way he always wanted to.

"I will, father."

Iroh smiled genially—like he always did—looked toward the skyward void and simpered………………_the dragon's eyes closed._

The ringing suddenly ceased.

The world became deathly silent.

The candle blew out.

…_and then there was none._


	8. Ozai

For the seventh time in unrecorded days he didn't remember, Zuko sat in front of Ozai's cell, his arms crossed against his chest, eyes transfixed and boring into the recumbent creature beyond the steel, sturdy bars.

Age and imprisonment relented no mercy toward the fiend in human skin.

The man's once muscular physique degenerated into a skeletal construct coated by a gangly yellow epidermis. His lusty obsidian hair had washed away into a long, unregulated mane of ghost white and grey, extending in all directions like spider legs. The once prominent black blade was now nothing but a ashen serpent protruding from his chin.

But his eyes…

The glow behind the disgusting albescent curtain were still a VIBRANT, VILE gold that flashed every time their eyes met during the span of putrid time.

And every time, Zuko's fist would clench into tiny smokes.

"_Hahaha…"_ the man cackled darkly, _"Well, I'll be. I really MUST be something special for the great and powerful Fire Lord Zuko to descend from his pedestal to grace me, yet again, with his glorious presence."_

"……………………………"

"_However, I must admit I am at a loss as to why. Just for what reason in the world would the almighty ruler of the Fire Nation seek the silent company of a downtrodden filth of a man such as me? Oh, wait. I think I might have an ideeeeaaa…"_

Zuko felt himself waver for a miniscule second.

"_Is it because, and this is just a baseless hunch…"_ Ozai paused to chuckle, sounding like sand scraping against metal, _"Is it because the Avatar and of all of your pathetic friends are DEAD?"_

Something flared within, and he involuntarily glared into the space between the bars, locking on to the despicable flash of gold and appalling, mirthful mouth of deteriorated teeth.

"_Hahaha. Yes, I've known. Did you think I would be ignorant of such delightful news? The walls have ears, and there's nothing but walls here."_

He felt himself tremble once.

"_Do you know why they are dead? Of course you don't. You know nothing. Then allow me my fatherly duty and educate you. It's because those worthless piles of flesh are WEAK. Fragile in body and useless in spirit. Especially that wretched Avatar. Ha! With all the power in the world, he still died a fool's death."_

He heaved a harsh breath.

"_Then again, what more can one hope for? They were your 'friends', after all. Inferiority is to be expected. Insipid birds of a flock, fallen from the sky and squished appropriately by the Universe itself."_

A small spark of fire warbled from his fingers.

Ozai suddenly lunged forward as if possessed by demonic entities, lodging his face between the bars, with a maniacal grin plastered upon his face. _"I AM THE PHOENIX KING! The Universe had chosen me to ascend to my rightful destiny! Those ingrates deserved their gruesome end! They stole from the Universe! All of them deserved their fate!"_

From the pit of his stomach, heat and bile rampaged throughout his veins until they reached the throat.

"_That poor excuse of an Avatar! That despicable Iroh! And your little whore! Just a stock of rancid corpses, all rotting like PIECES OF SH—"_

_**FOOOOOOOOOOM!!**_

……

………_._

The smell of roasted flesh lingered for weeks.


	9. Azula

"NO!!" Azula screamed and scrambled to a corner of the spacious, cushioned room, "GO AWAY! Mama!? Mama, where are you!? Please save me, Mama!!"

Zuko snarled and slammed a fist against the wall, fiery embers trailing in the swung path. "Dammit, Azula!! How many times do I have to tell you!? She's DEAD!! Mother is DEAD!!"

Heedless of the Fire Lord's raged outburst, the unkempt woman of dull copper eyes continued to escape to another corner on all fours, crying out for a ghost.

This only served to further enrage Zuko, who proceeded to stomp over to the frenetic princess and hold her in place by her shoulders. She thrashed wildly, of course, but time and her demons had weakened her, and offered little difficulty for Zuko to pin her down.

"LISTEN, DAMN YOU!! Mother is dead! I found her! She's been dead for years! Th-they're all dead, Azula! Every single one of them!!"

Azula struck out with a kick that had no effect beyond making Zuko growl and shake her violently.

"Hold still and listen!! Don't you understand!? There's no one left!! Mai and Ty Lee……they're gone!! Aang, Katara, Appa, Momo, Sokka—" His face grimaced painfully, "Oh, Agni. They're all dead. They're d-dead Azula. Uncle and mother. Toph and Suki. They're all _spirit-damned_ DEAD!!"

At his last shout, Azula stopped squirming in his grasp. Her eyes were large and wide and frantic, like a cornered animal in the darkest depths of the wood.

"A-and now I'm a MURDERER!! Azula, I k-killed him!! I killed that bastard!!"

His grip loosened and slumped slightly toward the strangely quiet woman. "We're all that's left, Azula. The two of us are the only ones breathing. All we have left is each other. _Please_. I need you. Don't leave me alone. _Please…_"

Azula seemed perplexed by the calm, sorrowful tone of voice in which Zuko spoke with. She tilted her head, and peered under the long, unruly bangs of black to see the face of a _scarred_ man.

She suddenly gasped, and leapt back like a feral beast from Zuko's nonsolid hold. "NO! Leave me alone!! Mama!! Mama!!"

Dismay from his sister's act of betrayal gave away to anger surfacing on Zuko's face once again. "_Azula…"_ He growled as he stood, snorting small jets of flames.

Azula had found another corner, and shielded herself with a nearby cushion. Before Zuko got close again, she screamed: "No! Don't hurt me, Baba!!"

Zuko froze. _"……………………what?"_

Azula tried her best to hide her entire body as she pointed an accusatory finger at him. "It's your fault!! It's all your fault!! You turned me into a monster!! You made Mama not love me!! Leave me alone!! Mama!! Mama!!"

Zuko's eyes blazed. "_No…No…! _I'm not that bastard!_"_ He looked at his palms, the fire in his eyes gone and widening, "I'm not him…… I'm not him……? No…I killed him! I…I……"

"MAMA!! MAMA!!"

Covering his ears, Zuko dashed madly out of the room, leaving behind the anguished cries of one broken before him. He ran nonstop in the eerie stillness of the night until he eventually reached the vacant courtyard.

"RAAAAAAAAHHHH!!" Zuko howled skyward, waves of heat and flames burst forth from his limbs and in his howl.

The flames raged in the darkness, bringing forth all things blanketed by the shadows with their intensity and mad glow, and swirled toward the sky, dissipating along with the death of Zuko's wailing howl.

As night reign dominance and silence returned, Zuko crumbled to the ground, alone.

……

………_._

The next day, Azula was reported to have escaped from her confinement.

She was found three days later, at the bottom of a cliff.

_Wait for me, Mama. Don't worry, I'll be fine. I don't need wings to fly._


	10. Zuko

The storm clouds above and silvered relentlessly and rumbled thunderously, intermittent bursts of empyreal lights flashing from one part of the dark floating crystals to another, as if a living being of infernal nature was rampaging through the heavens.

Zuko, as he did many, many years ago, climbed to the highest pedestal, the closest place to heaven all of the lands offered, the broken bridge to the sky made of rock and stone.

His long, blood dark hair thrashed about, wherever the squall went like a wild ostrich-horse. The regal Fire Lord robes were tattered and discolored by the downpour and by smudges of earth, ripped and torn, exposing the man's torso to the onslaught of nature's force. He had traversed the lands barefoot, evident by the scraps and dried blood upon the flesh of his feet.

His golden eyes……were now nothing but dull glimmers, a small, waning pyre.

He turned skyward, allowing the rain to punish him as he heaved in all of his suffering and rage.

So he could release it.

"STRIKE MEEEEEEEEEE!!"

He reached toward the booming tempest. "YOU'VE THROWN ALL AT ME!! YOU'VE TAKEN EVERYTHING FROM ME!! YOU HAVE ME DEFEATED!! YOU'VE WON!! FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE, GIVE ME MERCY!! END IT!! STRIKE ME!! I BEG YOU!! STRIKE MEEEEEEEEEE!!"

At once, everything became silent, not the storm nor the squall made a sound.

Overhead, a lance of white death pierced through the dark sky crystal and came bolting towards him, cackling despite the world falling mute.

_Time slowed…_

He welcomed the end with open arms…

…smiling blissfully.

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"_Wow, camping. It really feels just like old times again, doesn't it?"_

"_If you really want it to feel like old times, I could uhh… chase you around for a while and try to capture you."_

_Flash!_

"_I was looking for cooking pots in the attic, and I found this. Look at baby Zuko! Isn't he cuuute!?"_

"_Argh!"_

_Flash!_

"_Pretty clouds."_

"_Yeah, fluffy."_

_Flash!_

"_Ow! What was that for!?"_

"_That's how I show affection."_

_Flash!_

"_You know, as a Kyoshi warrior, I'm pretty skilled with applying war paint, makeup, and the likes."_

"_What are you implying?"_

"_Er, nothing. You have nice eyebrows."_

_Flash!_

"_You're so beautiful when you hate the world."_

"_I don't hate you."_

"_I don't hate you too."_

_Flash!_

"_Euch! This tea is nothing more than hot leaf juice!"_

"_Uncle, that's what ALL tea is."_

"_How could a member of my own family say something so horrible!?"_

_F-F-F-lash!_

"_I wonder what this world would look like in another hundred years."_

"_I have a feeling you'll find out."_

"_Maybe. But I'd rather have it remain a mystery forever."_

_F-F-F-Flash!_

"_I guess I was right, what I said years ago. I really can't stand to lose him."_

"_I'm sorry. I suppose this isn't one of those times where we share something in common." _

"_It's okay. I'm glad we don't."_

_F-F-F-Flash!_

"_I'm going on up ahead."_

"_Remember to be alert, be careful."_

"_Hey, I've got the Flaming Lord watching my back, don't I?"_

"_Doesn't help if you trip. Try not being clumsy when there are a lot of swords."_

_F-F-F-Flash!_

"_I don't want to be alone tonight. Is that okay?"_

"……………………………"

"……………_thanks."_

_F-F-F-Flash!_

"_I think he has his eyes. Do you think he has his eyes?"_

"_Um, sure, whatever you say. Just please take him from me before I drop him."_

"_Oh, don't be such a coward! I swear, give men a sword and they think they're the best thing since sashes. Put a baby into their arms, and they wet themselves faster than the baby does."_

"_Apparently, not in this case."_

_F-F-F-Flash!_

"_Thinking about them?"_

"……………………………"

"_It's fine. Let's think about them together."_

_F-F-F-Flash!_

"_Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends whom we choose."_

"_That explains why it hurts so much."_

"_Good. That means you and I are still alive."_

_F-F-F-F-F-F-_

"_Don't worry, I will……"_

"_Promise me……that you will not fall."_

"_Do you remember them?"_

"_I understand now. I understand why she was smiling."_

"………………………_just so you know…………"_

"_Take care of your cousin Zuko while I'm gone."_

_F-F-F-F-F-F-_

"_I AM THE PHOENIX KING!"_

"_Mama!! Mama!!"_

"—_all of your pathetic friends are DEAD?"_

"_NO!! GO AWAY!"_

"—_chosen me to ascend to my rightful destiny!"_

"_You turned me into a monster! You made Mama not love me!!"_

"—_deserved their gruesome end!"_

"_MAMA!! MAMA!!"_

"_RAAAAAAAAHHHH!!"_

_F-F-F-F-F-F-_

"_And now we're friends."_

"……_I promise."_

"_You will put one foot in front of the other. You will walk and you will bleed and you will breathe."_

"_Can I see you?"_

"_Just wait a little bit more. I'll be there…"_

"_One day, he'll grow up to be a great man."_

_F-F-F-F-F-F-_

"_Vow to me. DO NOT FAIL."_

_-__**ASSSSHHHHH**__!!_

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"…………_I'll be waiting………………always……"_

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"**GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"**

He lanced the spear of electric fury with his fingertips, absorbing the massive force of calamity into his body, his entire presence glowing with surreal pulses of divine blue, and with one final howl, sent the storm's rage back into the thundering sky.

His body sizzled from his duel with the heavens, and he crumbled to the—

He slammed his arms to the ground, keeping himself up, heaving and gasping.

"I…hah…I _promised_ them…hah…hah…gah," with great effort, he climbed to his feet, and sluggishly began making his way down the path he came.

"_Keep walking…hah…hah…keep walking…one foot in front of the other…gah…hah…never stop walking……don't fail…hah…you promised them……don't ever stop walking……you made a promise…a promise……walk…walk……"_

Unknown to him, the rumblings ceased, the thunders waned, the rain stopped, the winds gentled, and the dark clouds parted.

Slowly but determinedly with a revived flare of gold in his eyes, Zuko walked towards the distant rising sun.

…_Last One Breathing._


	11. Neverending Circle

Zuko was meditating upon the broad, commodious balcony of the Fire Nation palace, basking in the gentle infant rays of dusk and breathing in the brisk, serene scent of spring.

A man dressed into Fire Nation colors approached respectfully from behind and bowed. "Lord Zuko. I beg your forgiveness, but I bring important news."

Immediate but slowly, Zuko's eyes fluttered open, meeting the sun, and as always to those who observed, flashed an odd tint of fire and brimstone.

The messenger did not, being behind said glow, but knew it was there, and shivered.

Zuko cranked his neck from left to right methodically and exhaled steadily. In a voice that had deepened with time, he spoke: "The weather is nice today. You should play with your children later."

Apparently, this wasn't the first time the messenger dealt with such an eccentric reply, for he merely gazed downward with melancholy. "I will."

No smile graced the Fire Lord's scarred face, but for some reason, the air around him felt slightly warmer.

"Now, what news do you bring?"

The messenger bowed again. "The Avatar has arrived, Lord Zuko."

The man was aware of the instant drop in temperature of all the space on the balcony, and though only his shoulders jerked sharply, instincts demanded he recoil in fear.

For many seconds comparable to hours, silence ensued, but finally…

"I wish to speak with the Avatar alone. Arrange a private meeting. I will be there shortly."

The messenger was startled, and his first reaction was to protest such an idea for the definite resistance and possible ramifications that could arise, but the Fire Lord's silhouette in the sun dissuaded him from speaking.

So he bowed again. "As you wish, Lord Zuko."

He exited quietly.

The Fire Lord made no movement for the longest of moments, merely continued to stare at the land and the sky.

Then his golden eyes darkened, and he stood.

He exhaled steadily, and left the balcony and the sunrise, flames seemingly trailing after the seams of his robes.

* * *

The throne chamber was eerily silent, for the only ones within were Zuko and the newly reincarnated Avatar, who looked entirely too uncomfortable to being alone with the Fire Lord.

Zuko studied him with disinterested eyes, a thumb against his cheek, as if appraising an unprocessed commodity.

The boy was in his early teens, cheeks still roundish and chin not quite sturdy, lingering childhood retained in a youthful face. His skin was tanned like the people of the Water Tribe, but a shade lighter than most he was accustomed to seeing. He wore the customary blue tunic and trousers lined and trimmed with white fur. His left hand was wrapped in bandages to the wrist and there were various other leather straps on his legs and his waist, securing footwear and the tunic to his body. His hair, a dark brown, was like his outfit, styled in the customary warrior's wolf tails. Unsurprisingly, his eyes, though downcast with nervousness and clouded with trepidation, was of crystal ocean blue.

Zuko inwardly scoffed.

However, he gathered, his inner disdain must have overflowed and seeped into to the surface as the young lad before him became even more fidgety, blue eyes darting left and right, anywhere but meeting his eyes.

_Coward._

Past his relatively calm façade was a long suffered ignescent flare that now, when the moment had arrived, threatened to burst into a livid cold-FIRE that he now realized had not waned since years upon years ago when it initially manifested and that closure was never obtained to be his.

He couldn't help but find pleasure from watching the new Avatar squirm as memories of a night passed in the wails of a blizzard bolted through his mind.

He remembered, not for the first time, the whispers of Water's grace in the wails of a blizzard, and the reason for his ceaseless nodding that he wanted to bellow, but did not, thumping like an inferno mantra.

_HOW DARE YOU._

_YOU ARE NOT HIM._

_YOU ARE A LIE._

_A LIE._

_A LIE._

_A LIE._

_A LIE._

_A LIE._

_A LIE._

_A LIE._

The fist not upon his cheek tightened, encasing heat within its grasp.

They remained as such for several more of time's procession, the new Avatar timidly twitchy and Zuko not even bothering to mask his glare and the seated loathing for someone he REFUSED to admit having had met because _HE IS NOT HIM_.

He watched the boy inhale deeply of calming air, physically apparent trying to muster courage to say something.

In a light, innocent voice, the Avatar spoke: "Hello, um, I mean, salutations, no, no, I-I mean, errr, g-greetings…? That is, umm-uh, r-respectable h-hello—"

And he immediately stopped speaking once more as their eyes met, face and hands frozen awkwardly in place.

Zuko sneered as his eyes flashed gold. "Stop your incessant, insufferable stuttering, boy. Ready your words, then speak clearly and concisely."

The boy nodded feverishly, apparently quick to appease and relieved to hear the Fire Lord speak, rubbed his ear sheepishly.

"I-I'm very sorry, Sifu Hotman, I'm just a bit nervous and—"

…………………………_._

The Avatar's eyes widened, mouth agape.

Zuko felt his pulse cease for the split of time's halt, as he rose halfway to standing, gold eyes shimmering.

The boy, seemingly recovered from his shock, frantically began to apologize—

The Avatar's eyes and mouth beamed with unnatural glows as time distorted and the entire room before him was overwhelmed by a divine light.

* * *

……

………_._

Zuko opened his eyes.

He was young again. Hair much shorter and jaw unmarred by manhood, with scars only upon his face and chest. A boy who knew no better and was quick to anger and passion, dressed in red drabs that were always infinitely more comfortable than the regal robes of royalty.

He was a boy, who stood in the center of a circle_……formed by those who were gone but never left._

Toph was hopping as she waved at him with both arms… in the entirely wrong direction.

Sokka groaned silently with a chuckle, held her down by her head, and spun her now indignant gaze toward him, receiving a harsh jab to the shoulder in response.

Next to Sokka, Suki giggled and patted the warrior consoling on the other shoulder as he glared at the now once again hopping Toph, before she herself waved at him happily.

Sokka soon relented his glare, crossed his arms and grinned at him cockily.

Zuko spun to his right, having sensed something familial, and saw Iroh, smiling genially as he stroked his beard.

By the old man's side was Ty Lee, leaping much higher than Toph was, giggling and somersaulting.

And Mai…… was standing unmoving with her arms hidden in her robe sleeves, with the tinniest, prettiest smile he always remembered.

Zuko spun entirely around.

Katara smiled at him warmly, waving slightly, her other hand resting on the shoulder of…

And there he was, arms at his side, grinning at him like the last time their eyes met.

They stared at each other in time's absence for a period undeterminable.

Aang chuckled slightly. _"Hey, Sifu Hotman. Katara told me you said 'hello'."_

Hot, wonderful tears were pouring forth from his eyes and his voice was gagged by trembling but he didn't care because he was here and they were HERE.

"_I promised you I'd find him,"_ Katara informed him righteously cheekily, before she wrapped her arms around the boy's shoulders from behind, to which Aang chortled.

"_Heeeeey! Zuko! Zukoooooo! Am I waving at him, Sokka!?"_

"_Heheh, yeah, you've got it, just keeeeeep waving."_

"_Okay! Heeeeey, Zuko!"_

"_Why, hello to you too, Toph."_ Iroh said amiably.

"_Jerk!!"_ Toph bellowed before delivering a solid punch to the abs.

"_OW!! How come you never miss when hitting me!?"_

Suki sighed. _"Alright, you two. Break it up."_

Zuko choked back a silent laugh, still unaware that he…

He looked toward the other side, where Uncle Iroh stood, still smiling, next to a continuously cheering Ty Lee and…Mai………

He wiped away the tears quickly, smiled, and ran to them…

Only to discover that he couldn't.

Alarmed, he called to them…

Only to hear naught but his own thoughts.

_NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!_

Desperation weaved through him like venom and he whirled to Aang, whose silver grey eyes met his steadily.

Arms still around the boy, Katara offered him a bittersweet smile that only increased his anxiety.

He yelled, screamed, and PLEADED at him mutely.

_PLEASE! DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE AGAIN!_

Aang closed his eyes meditatively, the arrow upon his scalp glowed warmly.

Suddenly, images of dark skies and booming thunderstorm and the bolt of white rage flashed through his mind.

_Keep walking…_

He understood. And that is why the tears flowed again.

Before the stream of anguish could reach his chin, the circle was upon him, embracing his soul and bestowing upon him the warmth he yearned painfully for in his cold place in the world.

His arms were trembling uncontrollably. Every fiber in his being screamed at him to raise his arms to hug them back, to FEEL them.

But it wasn't time yet, so he shut his eyes tightly as the tears washed over his face and he breathed in the scent of them that wasn't there.

"_I'm very proud of you. You have indeed become a great man."_

"_Thanks for everything, Zuko."_

"_Heeeeee… group hug!"_

"_Good job, buddy. You kept your promise."_

"_Thank you for taking care of him for me."_

"_Remember, you're never alone."_

He nodded.

_Yeah, I know…_

All too soon, one by one, they parted from him.

Ty Lee, Toph waved once more as Iroh smiled before they disappeared into dusts of golden light.

Sokka grinned at him and told him to 'stay flaming' before he and Suki, who waved as well, vanished in the same glow.

He saw Katara touch Aang's shoulder gave him an ever sweet smile and a slight wave, and crossed into the realm beyond.

"_I'll always be waiting."_

His eyes instantly met Mai's beautiful golden—more so than he could ever remember of the sun—eyes.

He reached for her, but stopped as she smiled, and could only helplessly smile the same way back.

"_So take your time."_

And she too, sparkled into radiant light.

Lastly, his eyes met the glow of serene silver grey.

Years had passed between them, destiny interloping them all in an unbreakable bond that transpired through time and spirits.

So Aang bowed, and Zuko bowed in return.

The boy smiled at him, and his back was to him, walking away…

Zuko took a deep breath.

_Hey._

Aang's footsteps halted, and looked over his shoulder.

Zuko simpered.

_See you later._

With one last grin, Aang passed out of sight.

The light began receding like a water coursing through a tunnel, blurring the all the colors and all the golden glitters zoomed into the vortex.

Zuko smiled.

_Zooming…Zooming…Zooming…_

_Flash._

* * *

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The Avatar blinked.

It is still the throne room. Nothing had changed. There was still no one but the Water Tribe boy and the Fire Lord.

Only the man was howling with laughter.

The boy looked on helplessly and scooted back as the ruler of the Fire Nation was slapping his knee and literally laughing flames.

The boy looked to the heavy doors behind him, contemplating whether or not to escape for help.

But before he could decide, a loud intake of breath drew his attention back to the Fire Lord.

Zuko, who was now standing, breathed in deeply, his eyes closed and shoulders bunching.

With a smile originally lost from the wages of life, he exhaled through his nose strongly, his shoulders falling back in place, his eyes aglow with gold, and his face was brighter, as if he had released multitudes of darkness in that single breath.

He looked out the window, into the peaceful world. "The weather really is nice today."

With quick strides, he walked past the Avatar, who looked on dumbfounded on the carpet, and towards the exit. "What are you waiting for, boy? Get on your feet. The day's just begun and time's wasting."

The boy quickly scampered to his feet, confused and wired from the sudden change in attitude from the Fire Lord. "Umm……, sorry, sir, b-but, uh, where are we going?"

Zuko chuckled. "To begin your first firebending lesson, of course," he said matter-of-factly.

"What!?" The boy exclaimed, "Wh-when-wait, wh-why?"

Zuko shook his head in exasperation. "You're the Avatar, aren't you?"

The boy was unhappy upon his title. "Y-yeah, I guess so…" he mumbled to the ground, rubbing his arm reactively.

"Then you have to master all four elements eventually, don't you? So why not start now? Just because you have all the time in the world doesn't mean you should squander it. And who better to teach you then the reining Fire Lord, which is me, by the way."

The boy looked at the Fire Lord hesitantly. "B-but I-I…OW!" he cried as Zuko swatted his head. "What was that for!?"

Zuko shrugged. "Bonding. I think."

"Bonding!?" he groaned, rubbing the sore spot on his head, "Are all people from the Fire Nation mentally unstable or something? It must be all the heat. I can't believe people here are crazy enough to wear so much red."

"Hey, it was my first attempt!" he said, poking the boy in the forehead, smirking, "Besides, I managed to get you to stop stuttering."

The boy blinked at himself, indeed surprised at the fact he had suddenly lost his timid behavior around the before intimidating but now smiling Fire Lord.

The Avatar shivered at the man's grin. "I think I liked it better when you were creepy and angry."

Zuko bristled mockingly. "Just for that, mister, you won't be getting any special treatment on your first lesson. In fact, twenty extra hotsquats for each of the next five lessons."

"Hotsquats? What're those?"

"Follow me and you'll find out," Zuko stated as he pushed open the doors, and walked out.

For some reason, the Avatar dreaded the apparently inevitable discover. But for some other reason he couldn't fathom, he felt himself quickly _warming _up to his self-appointed firebending teacher.

He felt a…connection to the man that he couldn't explain, and found his feet had quickly carried him to the man's side.

"So, what's your name?" Zuko asked as he started walking in the direction of the courtyard.

"It's ———." The boy answered, struggling slightly to keep up.

"Well, Avatar ———, let's go find some Badgerfrogs."

"Badgerfrogs? Why do we need to find those?"

A chuckle. "I've got to give you some homework, don't I?"

"Awwww! Homework!?"

……

……….

The sun caressed the lands warmly.

The winds whistled a soft tune.

Somewhere in the Spirit World……

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"_By the way, don't call me Sifu Hotman."_

…They All Smiled.


	12. Author's Note I

First of all, special thanks to reviewers:

lazyguy90: Hey! I'm glad you liked the first chapter, at least. This story was indeed intended to be more spiritual than angsty, but that didn't really show up until the very end, I believe. So I hope you had been reading through the rest of the chapters and thank you very much for being the first person to leave a review!

satinsilversnowflake: Thanks for reading! I'm glad you enjoyed the first chapter, as I think it was one of my best done scenes. Hopefully you didn't find the later ones done poorly!

sparky-poo: I guess the chapters are all pretty dark, huh? But I'm glad you think I've handled them well. I hope you had enjoyed the rest of the chapters!

Glitterfuck: Heh, your penname has a dirty word in it. Ahem, I mean, thanks for reviewing! And thanks for noticing that particular line, I am actually pretty proud of it, and am glad someone else thinks it was well written too!

Ardala91: A very Special Thanks I give to you, because, wow, I think you reviewed almost all of the chapters and practically made up half of the total reviews. At least I'm pretty sure you liked the entirety of this short series of mine! Thank you again!

mangafangirl: Thanks for your reviews! I'm really glad you like my writing! I do my best! I'm glad you enjoyed the Zuko chapter. I believe it's one of my most powerfully written scenes. Hopefully the last chapter wasn't too anticlimactic for you. Thanks again!

crazyzukofangirl1280: Um, I am kind of confused on whether you were sad about the Zuko and Iroh scene or because you think my writing is bad. Hopefully it's not the latter. Thanks for the review!

SoloMoon: Thanks for your review! I really like your drabble collection as well! And I'm happy you agree with my choice to use Zuko's point of view for the story. Sorry I couldn't kill more people, I kind of ran out of main characters after Azula. But hopefully you still liked the last two chapters.

Maikofan13: I'm sorry and glad, at the same time, for making you cry. The Zuko scene made myself slightly emotional as well, and I think that's why it was fairly well written, in my opinion. Thank you very much.

To the rest of the readers that didn't review: I sincerely hope you enjoyed the short series as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you!

Next, I wish to apologize for the late update. As I'm sure most of you can relate, school and homework have been a proverbial monkey on my back. I have had no time to write, and when I do, I'm too tired to type anything, let alone produce coherent sentences. Seriously, school is sapping the life out of me, and it's affecting my writing detrimentally. I really despise it for that. Grrr. I'm also slightly worried that the last chapter didn't do the overall story justice, as it was rather anticlimactic, in my opinion. But it was how I envisioned and planned to finish the series from the beginning, so I guess I'll just have to settle for it.

Also, I want to apologize for not responding to reviews sooner. I kind of felt that placing review responses in each chapter would affect negatively on the overall mood of the story. So I had decided to put all of it on a single place. I also stopped myself from reading the reviews in the first place, actually, and only just read them before writing this author's note. So don't think I didn't appreciate you all, I do, just read what I typed up there!

**Warning: **I posted the next part of this author's notes separately because it is merely an explanation for the background and reason for this drabble series. Read at your own risk because it is long and most likely pointless and I don't want to bore you.

Once again, thanks to everyone who enjoyed reading this story, and may you have a great day.


	13. Author's Note II

I wish to explain my reasons for writing this drabble series and maybe answer a few questions some of you may have about it. This is mostly for my own benefit, to see the background and reason of my own story typed on screen. For those of you who don't care, you can leave now. Crud, I feel like as if I'm giving a seminar presentation. Oh well.

This short drabble series is actually a prologue for a long, multi-chaptered story I was originally planning on writing but eventually decided against. Basically, it's an aftermath of Avatar: The Last Airbender, where all the characters die except for Zuko (as if it wasn't apparent), which happens over the span of twenty more so years. I deliberately left how each of them died vague, to add to the mood. Some were much more obvious than others, of course, but I did leave hints for the vague ones, I think.

Now this is just me spitting out rubbish. Aang had died because of the Avatar State, as the Seventh Chakra had been forcibly opened during his battle with Ozai, and much of his life energies were used to do so, resulting in a much, much shorter lifespan. Katara was devastated, and though she didn't seek death, she didn't resist it, and thus when she fell ill, she died shortly and went into the spirit world to search for Aang.

During this time, new enemies had emerged, with the resistance only a small portion in the total force of this new foe. Zuko, who was influenced heavily by Aang in life, tried to maintain peace in his using the deceased Avatar's philosophies, but it didn't quite work out. Several of the cast died in the following skirmishes and battles. Sokka had died not knowing Suki was pregnant with his son.

Also, to answer Ardala91's might-be-there-question, Zuko isn't in love with Toph, and neither she with him, but they did have an affair, because Toph's life crumbled after Aang, Katara, and Sokka's death and she was basically entirely alone in the world and thus sought solace in Zuko, who couldn't deny her. I'm think I gave pretty big hints to this fact though.

So later, both Toph and Suki died from injuries and Suki's son, who is not named because of the real story that will never be, was orphaned, and taken in by Zuko as his own child. The boy will eventually become the next Fire Lord after Zuko, because on top of being officially Zuko and Mai's son, the boy is actually a firebender. This is basically an homage to Sokka's drawing of Suki firebending in the finale. There is some of my own reasoning, of course, but I won't go into that.

Mai died of poisoning from an assassination attempt on Zuko that stayed in her system. The healers Zuko sought could not help, though if Katara were still alive, there might've been hope. So she had to live with it for several months before she succumbed.

Iroh had used every last bit of his remaining life to help Zuko pull through, but time was merciless and he became terribly sick, and eventually passed away.

As you know, Zuko then looked for Ozai's company because he was one of the last few _sane_ people he knew in the past, no matter how much he hated the man, especially after having found out that Ursa had already died, though Ozai is actually unaware of this fact. Zuko then killed him in a fit of rage and confronted Azula, the very last person left, only to have his world crumble further around him. Azula died from leaping over a cliff, believing she could fly due to her madness.

I didn't write these parts out, but Zuko goes through a process of mind shattering insanity much like Azula, but much, much worse. And so he sought to die by the Universe that took everything from him, but in the last second, remembered everyone, and redirected the lightning. He returned to the Fire Nation, and with renewed strength and determination, became one of the most famous Fire Lords in history.

But he never actually got closure and would have lost his smile forever, that is, until he met the reincarnated Avatar.

This part is also mumbo jumbo, but what happened was that Katara had miraculously found Aang, because as she said: she's the only one who can, and then after having eventually gathered everyone, they had used the new Avatar as a medium between the Spirit World and the Mortal Realm to drag Zuko into an inbetween space where they meet, but because Zuko wasn't dead, he couldn't speak or move forward. There, they reunite once last time in the Mortal Realm and Zuko received his closure, knowing that he still had a job to do, and that his family and friends never really left him.

So with that, he takes the new Avatar, who will not be named because of the real story that will never be, as his student, and teaches him the true art firebending, and later becomes a father figure to him as well, having spent more time with him than his own son, who was jealous and thus conflict was born between Sokka and Suki's son and the new Avatar.

Then the real story begins, with a title that shall never exist.

In this new story that I will never write, the new Avatar must master the four elements as usual, but a problem arises as Aang was the last airbender, and he never had children. However, Zuko has an airbending scroll that Aang wrote before he died, and the new Avatar had to understand and learn airbending from it. The rest of Avatar's quest then involves finding more potential airbenders, as some seemingly non-benders actually have the potential to learn airbending but never did as how the world was.

During these times, the old enemies that risen after Aang's death are still around, and continue to strive to a dark goal I will never mention. So the new Avatar and his friends, must defeat these enemies, revive the airbending people, unlock a dark secret, and deal with relationship issues.

There are lot more stuff that happens, but I don't want to bore you further, so let's get to Zuko.

Zuko is still a major player, probably more so than most of the other characters. After training the Avatar for awhile, Zuko entrusted his throne to his son (who didn't know his real parents) and several loyal, trusted advisers, and embarked on a journey with the Avatar. This created more tension between him and his estranged non-biological son.

On this journey, they eventually stumble into the Spirit World, where Zuko learns more about a dark secret the world holds and the Avatar learns more about being, well, the Avatar from Avatar Aang and some waterbending, particularly bloodbending, from Katara.

Zuko becomes the greatest firebender in the world, having skills and abilities far greater than any other firebender and also develops the technique to shoot a powerful, condensed beam of heat, like the Combustion Man, through his mouth, earning him the title of Emperor Dragon.

He defeats many of the strongest foes in the story and is greatly admired by the Avatar's as his master, and the very vision of strength and power.

At close to the end of the entire story, Zuko obstructs the Avatar and his friends from advancing, and in a fit of anime influenced cliché, challenges the Avatar to an Agni Kai to test his strength and worthiness, as well as to test his philosophy on life that is very similar to Aang's. The Avatar emerges victorious, or else the story makes no sense, and master and student share a touching moment. But then an army of enemies arrive in another bout of cliché plotlines and Zuko forces the Avatar and his friends to advance, and charges happily into the enemy forces, defeating them at the cost of his life. He dies standing, smiling, as his job is finally finished and he earns his well deserved rest. And as he travels into the Spirit World, he is welcomed by his friends and family with open arms.

The end of the story is just the Avatar fighting one final enemy, going into the Avatar State, and blowing things up. No one really dies, peace descends upon the Mortal Realm and the Spirit World, the Avatar may or may not get the girl, happy ending.

So why am I not going to write this story? It's pretty obvious, I think. The storyline is dumb, there are OC's everywhere, and I made Zuko into a Gary Stu. I mean, wtf!? I must be tripping on something when I thought all this stuff up.

But most importantly, the story involves killing off the entire original cast save one. Now that's really messed up.

I have entertained the thought of writing a spinoff though, about Zuko and Toph's affair. But, eh, that'll just be a lot more angst.

So instead, I came up with another sequel story that I may or may not write. I don't want to say much about it here, maybe somewhere else. This _author's note/abridged horrible story_ is getting too long as it is.

What I want to say is basically that even though I won't be writing the story, I do think I should give my muse a proper sendoff, thus the prologue/drabble series.

So to those who enjoyed this drabble series, thank you very much.

And to those who are now mad because you just read through a ton of crap, remember, I did warn you.

Good night, crappy story, And slurs of drunken poets annoy thee to thy rest.

Great, now that that's over with, I'm going back to writing lighthearted stuff and reading other people's stories. Later.


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